A slender and slinky cat, this charismatic breed is energetic and needs an owner who can give it plenty of attention. Although the wild jungle cat and the domestic cat could, and probably did, interbreed naturally in the past, the Chausie originated from hybrids created during the 1990s. Initially, the jungle cat was crossed with …
This tall and elegant breed loves to climb to high places, and has a gentle but outgoing temperament. Designer-bred to resemble the serval—a small, leggy wild cat of the African grasslands—the Serengeti was created in California in the mid-1990s and is now also known in Europe and Australia. The result of crossing a Bengal with …
A tall, graceful cat with a strikingly unusual appearance, the Savannah is highly curious and can be very demanding. One of the newest cat breeds, the Savannah was officially recognized only in 2012. It originated from the chance mating of a male serval, a wildcat of the African plains, with a female domestic cat. The …
This athletic and muscular, yet elegant cat is very active and retains some of the wild nature of its ancestors. Developed to have a close resemblance to the spotted African wildcat, the Kanaani (as in the Biblical name “Canaanite”) is rare. First bred by a sculptor in Jerusalem, this new breed was registered by the …
This cat has a strikingly beautiful spotted coat and a vibrant personality and is curious, playful, and very energetic. In the 1970s, scientists crossed the small, wild Asian leopard cat with shorthaired domestic cats in an attempt to introduce the wildcat’s natural immunity to feline leukemia into the pet population. The project failed, but the …
Although this cat has exotic “jungle” looks and strong hunting instincts, it has a far from fierce personality. This designer cat is a miniature reproduction of wild cats such as the leopard and ocelot. It was created by a conservation enthusiast, Paul Casey, specifically to discourage the killing of wild animals for their fur. Casey …
A breed developed in the 1990s by crossing a striped, shorthaired cat with a Bengal, the Toyger has a tiger-marked coat with random vertical stripes that are quite distinct from any other tabby pattern. Well built and muscular, this unique “toy tiger” moves with the flowing power and grace of a big jungle cat. The …
This rare breed with a ticked tabby pattern has a peaceful nature but can be possessive of home and family. A native of the coastal Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya, this spectacular tabby was discovered in the late 1970s, when a British Kenyan resident adopted two feral kittens with distinctive markings and used them for …
This large, beautifully marked tabby is very affectionate and makes a devoted companion. A version of the Ocicat with markings in the classic tabby pattern rather than spots, this cat was recognized as a separate breed only comparatively recently, and is still not yet accepted as such by all breed authorities. The Ocicat Classic has …
Adaptable and confident, the Ocicat is a curious and playful breed that responds well to training. Despite its name, this spotted beauty is not a cross between the domestic cat and the ocelot—the native jungle cat of South and Central America—but it looks as though it ought to be. The Ocicat was actually the surprise …